Regiment should be open

September 15, 2009

Dear Sir,

In response to the article "Regiment CO won't comment on sex abuse cases at Warwick Camp" by Sam Strangeways, Royal Gazette, on September 15, 2009.

I suggest that the comment attributed to Lt. Col. Gonsalves, that there are so few sexual assaults in the Bermuda Regiment that it is not a problem and therefore there is no need to report statistics relating to them, does a serious disservice to those who have been assaulted.

First, who determined what number is "so few" and how did they established that number? Is it one, is it 20, is it 100? How do those "few" feel about their number being so small and so insignificant that the Bermuda Regiment does not deem it important enough to address it in a transparent and open manner? It is a fact, supported by a body of knowledge, that sexual assaults are vastly under-reported. If a "few" are reported in all likelihood many more sexual assaults are actually occurring.

Secondly, how well qualified are the Bermuda Regiment to investigate sexual assault? Do they call in the Sexual Assault Response Team to examine evidence? Are victims receiving correct and timely information regarding Sexually Transmitted Infections and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder that can result from sexual assault?

Are they getting medical and counselling support by qualified doctors, nurses and counsellors? Are they getting legal advice and are legal remedies open to them? If Bermuda Regiment soldiers are getting any less than these basic rights they are being re-victimised by an organisation that purports to be concerned for the young Bermudians in their care.

KATHY HARRIOTT

Flatts

There was racism pre-2003

September 15, 2009

Dear Sir,

May I offer another opinion? In Senator Michael Fahy's Opinion piece (September 11) he writes, "I must say it works", "it" referring to his contention that "this Government aims to reduce elections to a straight up vote on racial lines".

I do not doubt that Senator Fahy is truly concerned. But has he ever attempted to understand why intelligent black people who love Bermuda as much as he does and desire good government as much as he does continue to ensure that "it works"? Of course he may conclude that black people who make "it work" by voting for the PLP are neither intelligent nor desire good governance. In which case his plea would be pointless and fall on deaf ears.

He also writes, "if truth telling ... is corrupted by a cynical political agenda we are damaging, not enhancing, our chances for a better more cohesive future for our people". He also writes that "overt race manipulation began in 2003". However, as a black person, I can assure him that race manipulation existed long before 2003. I grew up with it. And before 2003, I saw no UBP politician concerned about "a more cohesive future for our people".

Throughout the 30-years of the UBP reign I saw no effort on their part to narrow the economic or social gap between the two races. With very rare exceptions, all of the pain and frustration expressed by blacks was totally ignored by white people, including the UBP, as if we did not even exist. They asked why should they pay any attention to us. We did not matter. Our frequent forums addressing race relations and our race divide attracted, at the very most, three or four white folks.

When the PLP won in 1998 and we had first, at that time, Premier Jennifer Smith and then the former Premier Alex Scott, we were given to understand by both of them that there would be no discussion of our racial divide. They felt "no responsibility to address the racial injustices of the past", nor its impact on the present.

I am told that Dame Jennifer had a "good" political reason since she had Whites in her constituency who might vote for her and that she never even used the word "black". Premier Scott just did not wish to offend white people. Their very genteel silence on this very wounding and painful topic did absolutely nothing to encourage white people to even think about " a more cohesive future", despite all of the "integrating" attempted by black people. We, as black people, were ignored as totally as had been the case under the UBP.

It is only because of the racial rhetoric since 2003 that white people have even begun to acknowledge our existence or to hear us. For the most part it has been to criticise and demonise us, and even to express hatred towards those who have been expressing the racial rhetoric which eventually got their attention. But that is better than being totally ignored.

Fortunately, there are, now, also a few white folks who are attempting to understand the reason for this rhetoric and its wide spread acceptance by so many in the black community. Some white folks have even begun to understand that this rhetoric is nowhere as demeaning, humiliating and insulting as has been both the language and the overt policy of a white power structure toward a majority black population for 350 years.

Senator Fahy writes: "The UBP is not an innocent party because it has failed to defend its record and values over the past decade against an onslaught". However, in my view, the UBP is "not an innocent party", not because of that failure but because throughout its 30 years, regardless of any good which it may have done, it never, at any time, acknowledged the terrible evil which had been inflicted on an entire black population with all of its economic, social and psychological consequences during the preceding centuries, it certainly never attempted to address the consequences of those years.

The most that it did was to refrain from the same overt harsh expressions and policies of the racism of those former years, e.g. attempting to turn an academic institution like the Berkeley Institute into a commercial or trade school because it catered to Black students or calling those who protested the injustices " thugs" and "trouble makers". They also offered to socialise with those blacks who would help them to retain political power, while they continued to bestow unearned privilege and opportunities on whites which were still being denied to blacks.

It is really not the past but the denial, indifference, and insensitivity of the present which continues to make "it work". Until well meaning and sincere (?) white people like Senator Fahy can get it into their heads, or more importantly into their hearts, that the politics of racial division did not begin in 2003 with the rhetoric of this current Premier, there can be no cohesive future.

The politics of race is the very foundation on which this society was built and it is that which, in the past, provided for whites the "good governance" (about which we are now hearing so much) at the expense and demeaning of black people and by the economic exploitation, social humiliation and psychological abuse and oppression of black people.

The very fact that someone like myself has repeated this fact so often, only for it to be completely ignored, condemned, or demonised by so many whites and too many Blacks means that it will take a great deal more than getting rid of Dr. Brown (or the destruction of the UBP) for this country to even begin to merely think seriously about a "a better and more cohesive future".

The fact that blacks have had to live with a racial divide that was so destructive to them for 350 years and whites are now protesting so vehemently and self righteously because they have had merely to listen to racial rhetoric for less than a decade, with no practical policy implications, and still they show no concern about what that past has done to so many of us, is evidence enough of their lack of real concern about our "cohesiveness" or a" better future" for Bermuda.

The real concern that I have about the PLP is not their racial rhetoric directed towards whites, because it has gotten their attention, but because of their lack of any really creative and overtly affirmative action policy directed towards blacks, even with this continuing salary gap and the very large amount of money that the PLP has given to, or spent on, those from overseas – and I know about North Hamilton and the free College tuition.

EVA N. HODGSON

Hamilton Parish

Spiralling out of control

September 15, 2009

Dear Sir,

There has been much suggestion that the Government may be entering into the start of two large capital projects. The cleaning up of the baselands at Southampton's Morgan's Point and the building of a new Causeway. The estimates thus far could indicate the costs could exceed $100 million.

The Government has placed us in a very difficult position because of its past mismanagement of capital projects. We have seen much wastage and little accountability of the taxpayers' money. The construction of the Berkeley Institute cost us nearly double of the original estimate. When questions have been asked there has been little response on where the money has gone and to whom. "Joe Public" has been often left in the dark.

As a partial result of mismanagement of our Government's handling of our capital projects, it is the writer's opinion that our national debt has spiralled out of control. This debt is going to be the burden of our children and grandchildren. It is also possible that perhaps our currency, which is now par with the US could lose its value because of our debt. There seems to be a lot of uncertainties surfacing which should be a great concern to all of us.

This begs me to ask: Is this a good time to commence these projects? Should our leaders be more fiscally responsible? Could these monies be better spent on more pressing issues such as crime prevention, Future Care, public education or generally improving our infrastructure?

STILL WAITING FOR PUBLIC ACCESS TO INFORMATION

Warwick

Speak up for Bermuda

September 23, 2009

Dear Sir,

It seems that both political parties have discontented members who would like to get Bermuda back on track and make it a better country. Has anyone thought of combining the best people of these two parties to accomplish this? Please stop bickering, procrastinating, racism, etc. Do something – get on with it – move!

To the people:

Stop being brainwashed by politicians who are only thinking of themselves and lining their pockets with our hard earned money. Don't let others influence you. Think for yourselves. You are smart. You know right from wrong. Don't you want Bermuda to be the friendly, peaceful, crime free Island that it used to be and set an example to the rest of the world.

God helps those who help themselves. We can help our Island and ourselves by working together. I am not a big letter to the Editor writer but I'm gong to be and put my thoughts on paper and I hope all of you will do the same. We don't want our children and grandchildren leaving our Island for a better place to live. Speak up and let the public know how you feel.

MLT

Smith's

What BDA stands for

September 23, 2009

Dear Sir,

BDA is an acronym for the Bermuda Democratic Alliance. Predictably this is the name of the new party which will mend the presently fractured UBP.

Predictably, experienced leaders such as Shawn Crockwell, Kim Swan, Mark Pettingill and Trevor Moniz will shortly realize the vital importance of bringing together the two separate parts of a previously united party, to form (with support from other sources) an unbeatable whole.

This is the way forward to having a majority party win the next election. The BDA is the new party to bring equal opportunity, social justice and a clear vision of Bermuda's future.

OWEN H. DARRELL

Pembroke

Incompetence in losing Byrne

September 24, 2009

Dear Sir

So Randy Horton opens his mouth and gets it wrong.

Mr. Horton, the public education system has been a disaster from day one – and I do mean day one (when the UBP was in power). So, in your highly intellectual analysis, doing things the same way and determining that areas like hiring quality teachers, demanding commitment from parents, insisting on accountability from teachers, students and administrators alike etc. are not as important as making sure those minimally qualified Bermudians keep on trucking and never get the support and re-training they need is the best way forward?

I know it's not as simple as this but take a look at the private schools where successes increase year after year after year. Hey, Randy, you think they're on to something? Even though the private schools can select their students (and Government cannot) there should be an even greater commitment to retaining teachers of excellence, demanding discipline and accountability from everyone. In my humble opinion, the absolute need (Mr. Horton, do you read the newspaper articles on the inequity in workplace pay ... and the strong argument that lack of education, not pigmentation, is the main reason?)

If Darren Johnston takes this on and does not do it on the basis that he has his way all the time, he will be gone in less than a year. Here is a man who is managing the Bermuda version of the largest audit firm in the world and if he, or El James and Doc, think this thing is going to get fixed by a guy who is so busy already and is only going to go with the political flow of the Department of Education – I have a bridge to sell you.

All I can say is that the Government missed another opportunity (shock and awe). To even get a man of the intellect, capability and drive of Mark Byrne was a major coup ... to lose him was just another example of PLP incompetence.

WIDDER DOUGLAS

Southampton